Amateur Astronomy

So, you've decided to take the plunge and buy a telescope -- congratulations! Astronomy can be a life long pleasure, with the right equipment. But what to buy? And how do you not wind up with a room that looks like the above? There's more equipment out there than ever before. This article will attempt to make some sense out of the seemingly huge selection of scopes and accessories.

There are plenty of "how to" astronomy guides out there. Some are long and confusing; others short and unhelpful. This beginner astronomy guide takes the viewer/reader through the most important aspects of getting up to speed on amateur astronomy by covering telescope basics and stargazing basics.

In this informative video, we share some tips and insight into the steps you need to take to get into stargazing. We cover: establishing a location, useful beginner accessories, observing tips, using binoculars, and more!

Over the years when I've spoken with many other amateur astronomers about their interest in the sky, most have said that it could be traced back to receiving their first telescope at Christmas.

When dedicated stargazers venture outside to enjoy the night sky, they bring their telescopes, binoculars and various well-considered pieces of observing gear away from city lights and into the cool dark of night to catch sight of cosmic objects.

Latest spot on Jupiter just one of many significant finds by non-professionals.

Your first telescope has just arrived and now you can't wait to try it out. Trust me, I remember this feeling very well.

Interested in learning more about stargazing and the night sky? Here's the place to start. On this page, you find basic guides and articles to help you learn the night sky and the major stars and constellations.

Welcome to Sky at Night Magazine, the best place on the web for telescope reviews, beginners' guides and practical astronomy articles.

Amateur astronomy sounds simple in theory: Get a telescope, point it at the sky and look. But gaze into the night sky and you'll see countless points of light. So PM asked several accomplished astronomers about the best way to start stargazing.

Skywatching columnist offers tips for getting the most out of your first telescope, a gift that could put you on the track to becoming a night sky enthusiast.

Amateur astronomy is a fascinating hobby and can be an introduction to several practical and useful technologies. Instruments used in ground-based astronomy range from the unaided eye, to common video cameras, to large computer-controlled telescopes using adaptive optics. The hard part is finding dark skies that are conveniently located. Although we can't provide dark skies, we can help introduce you to this awe inspiring activity!

Want to get involved in amateur astronomy? Start stargazing tonight with advice from the experts: tips for naked eye astronomy, astronomy with binoculars, and more.

Official website for amateur astronomy magazine.

Amateur astronomy is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the sky, and the abundance of objects found in it with the unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research is not their main goal, many amateur astronomers make a contribution to astronomy by monitoring variable stars, tracking asteroids and discovering transient objects, such as comets and novae.